Piracanjuba Expands Capacity and Prepares Plant for Other Products

Grupo Piracanjuba and Tetra Pak developed the plant’s main operating parameters during the engineering stage. An Engineering Work Agreement served as a preliminary design, covering production capacity, process flows, technologies, equipment and operating plans.

The original objective was a facility able to handle more than 1m litres of milk per day. The completed design provides for daily processing of 1.2m litres and retains room for later expansion. The unit in São Jorge d’Oeste, in Paraná, was initially configured to increase mozzarella production.

A membrane system is among the technologies incorporated into the project. It is intended to standardise the ratio between milk casein and fat. According to information presented about the plant, it is Tetra Pak’s first system of this type in Brazil and is associated with process efficiency, raw-material consistency and mozzarella quality.

The plant’s future plans include using whey from cheese production as an input for concentrated protein products. The source, citing data attributed to Brazil’s Federal Inspection Service and the Ministry of Development, Industry, Foreign Trade and Services, said imported whey-protein concentrate accounted for 54% of national consumption.

The facility has been prepared for a later stage in which whey could be used to make protein concentrates. Its design also allows for the possible production of powdered lactose and requeijão. These products are not part of the plant’s current production described in the source.

The project includes systems for recovering water and producing and using biogas as a renewable energy source. For Piracanjuba, the unit expands its presence in Paraná and provides infrastructure for product categories identified by the group as strategic for the region. The plant’s operating capacity, expansion space and planned use of whey give the facility more than one potential production route.